No One Could Save Me but You
by AisCrimson
Summary: Alex Danvers is a second year resident at National City General Hospital who is just trying to pay off her student debt and get by when Detective Maggie Sawyer starts to bring some light to her life by somehow always ending up in the ER.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.**

Alex's chin slipped off her hand and onto the lab results she had been trying to read for what must have been the tenth time in the last hour. Jerking back up in her seat, Alex took in the still-empty ER. The double doors hadn't slid open since the last patient had been cleared to go home at 11:30. It was now 2:30am and Alex was slowly losing the will to live. Some music would definitely help keep her awake but she knew it would be just her luck that the attending on duty would show up as soon as she put it on, even if said attending was , who always shirked their ER time when they were on the graveyard shift with Alex. Hahn knew full well she would have everything under control, even for a second year resident who had only transferred to the program three weeks ago.

But as Alex surveyed the room again, doing a mental checklist and seeing that everything was completed, she knew that her choice was to either put on some music or risk falling asleep at the desk, and she knew which one she would rather get in trouble for. She unlocked her phone and put on her gym playlist, decidedly avoiding any music that might push her closer to sleep. Alex began pacing up and down the ER as she read over more and more charts. The music and stretching her legs a bit had been a good idea, she was definitely feeling more alert.

It was then that she heard a distant noise. She turned her music down a bit walked over to the exit to the ambulance bay. As the doors slid open she was greeted by the ever growing wail of sirens. Lots of sirens. Alex dashed back to the desk and discarded her charts. She picked up the phone and rang up to the nurses' station. Once the call was picked up Alex didn't wait for a greeting. "We've got numerous incoming casualties to the ER, page all available Doctors and nurses to the pit and free up as many OR's as possible!" She dropped the call and ran back out to the ambulance bay, picking up cover-alls as she went, her fingers seamlessly tying them into place.

The first ambulance pulled up just as she was done. The doors swung open and the first paramedic jumped out.

"How many incoming?" Alex barked over the intensifying sirens.

"At least six more," the medic called over their shoulder as the first gurney was removed.

"Why wasn't this called in?"

"Look it was a bloodbath out there, a lot of hysteria," the medic explained as they swiftly moved inside.

"You know that's not protocol. We are supposed to be contacted if at all possible so that we can be ready when you get here. It saves lives!" Alex argued.

"What will save lives right now is if you stop shouting at me about protocol and start looking after patients!"

Alex grimaced but nodded, she could have this battle later. As they transferred the patient to the first bed Alex was relieved to see that the cavalry had arrived. Meredith immediately caught her eye and indicated for her to come over. She looked back to her patient first who she still didn't know anything about. It was a white male, probably mid-thirties, who had what appeared to be a GSW to the chest which was enough for Alex to know they were going to have to go straight to the OR. Alex grabbed a passing attending who made the same swift assessment she had and took over from her from there.

Alex headed over to Meredith.

"What do we know?" Meredith asked calmly, her grey eyes analysing the scene unfolding before her.

"Not a lot yet. Nothing was called in but apparently we have six more ambulances incoming and that patient had a GSW," Alex hastily explained.

"Crap. Ok, nice work having the place ready. What I need from you is to keep the beds circulating. Any serious patients get them to an O.R as quickly as possible, any minor injuries, get them cleaned up and moved on. Anyone that doesn't need to be here? I'm talking family members, cops, move them along. I do not want them getting in the way. Do that and I promise I'll get you in on a good case with me."

"You got it."

"Thanks, Alex."

…

Alex received the next two ambulances, delegating what patients needed to be brought where. She prided herself on her abilities of risk assessment and being able to make a snap decision. She trusted her judgement and so did her superiors.

Alex waited as the fourth ambulance pulled up. She could hear raised voices coming from inside before the doors had even been opened. Alex had to admit she was intrigued. The door opened from inside and Alex could see three paramedics struggling with what appeared to be only one patient.

"Poke one more thing in me and I swear to God you will find it shoved so far down your own throat in two seconds flat," the patient threatened. Alex couldn't help but smirk at the sassy voice behind what she assumed was a very serious threat.

The first medic hopped out and rolled his eyes at Alex.

"Looks like we've got a live one," Alex joked.

"Oh no, not we, she's all yours now."

The gurney was removed from the ambulance with the smallest Latina woman ever aboard it, loosely wearing an NCPD windbreaker, looking for any means of escape. Her eyes latched onto Alex.

"Hey, Doc? Would you kindly tell these medics not to stick one more thing in me?" She begged cheekily, tilting her head to the side and sending Alex a glorious smile. The patient looked at Alex with a raised brow as if to say _well?_

Alex rolled her eyes and nodded in acquiescence.

"I'll take it from here guys." The medics looked beyond relieved, handed Alex the chart and clambered back into the rig.

Alex looked down at the clipboard and saw that it was nearly entirely blank, it was clear the patient hadn't been exactly forthcoming with information. Alex heard rustling from the gurney and she looked up to see the patient hopping down from it.

"Oh no you don't," Alex stated, planting herself in front of the woman, who she now learned was tiny.

Unsurprisingly, she squared up to Alex puffing out her chest, hands on hips, eyebrow quirked. "What are you gonna do, Doc? Lift me back onto the gurney?"

Alex crossed her arms defiantly.

"While I want you to know that there is no doubt that I could, I'd rather keeps things more civil than that and tell you the facts. are not getting through those doors to see your squad unless you are on a gurney. 2. If you enter without the gurney, I will not provide you with regular updates on your guys and 3. You arrived in an ambulance, but you failed to give any info to the medics they could work with so, by law, until I have a proper assessment of your injuries I can't have you walking around, so why don't you do us both a favour and get back on the gurney?"

The patient looked her up and down with a smirk, her eyes pausing for a moment on her nametag.

"Damn Danvers, I like a woman that can put her foot down." And just like that she almost happily hopped back onto the gurney. Alex laughed under her breath and moved to the back of the gurney.

The dark haired woman rapped twice on the guardrail and looked over her shoulder at Alex with a grin, "Chop chop, Doc, we don't got all day!"

…

It still seemed to be pretty manic inside as Alex wheeled her over to the nearest empty bed. The patient transferred herself to the new bed, eyes alert for any signs of her team. Alex knew her role was to pass the patient off and head back outside so she called Dr Robbins to her side.

"Dr Robbins, can I leave this patient with you? I've been told to keep on top of incomings, but I don't have this patient's name or details," Alex explained, showing her the empty chart. Dr Robbins looked at it with an amused smile but made no move to take it from her.

"Who? Maggie here? Oh Maggie's a regular. You're here almost every second week, aren't you Mags?" Dr Robbins said with a genuine smile. Alex narrowed her eyes looking between them suspiciously, not liking the familiarity.

Maggie reclined smugly on the bed. "It's definitely not my first rodeo, you'd know that for sure wouldn't you Ari- Dr Robbins? But it is my first time meeting Dr Danvers here." Maggie and Dr Robbins both looked at her with funny looks that Alex couldn't understand.

"Eh…well…I better get back outside."

"There's no need," Dr Robbins informed her. "There's no more incoming units, it's much smaller scale than originally thought."

"But the medic said -," Alex started.

"Those medics don't know shit," Maggie burst out, earning her a hard look from Dr Robbins.

"Danvers, I'm about to have a waiting room filled with very antsy cops and I'm sure they're going to want to know that their detective here is in good hands so why don't you look after Maggie, while I go try calm them down?"

"Right, ok," Alex agreed, slightly pleased with her assignment.

"And Maggie? Answer her questions," Dr Robbins ordered before smiling and departing.

As soon as Dr Robbins walked away Maggie was sitting up trying to get a look into other beds. Alex guided the curtain around the cubicle for some privacy. Alex sat down and rolled the stool over.

"So, Maggie what?"

"Smith," she deadpanned while examining her nails.

"I'm sure," Alex scoffed.

"That's right and don't forget my title, _Dame_ Maggie Smith." Maggie fixed her hair demurely as Alex looked at her befuddled. "Don't be shocked by my appearance dear, it's amazing what the plastic surgeons can do these days."

Alex dropped the chart sharply into her lap, startling Maggie into looking at her.

"Look, if this is how you wanna play it I can get Dr Robbins back, she seems to know how to keep you in check."

"Oh, I don't think she's the only one," Maggie said with an impressed nod as she settled down. "I'll play nice, Danvers, promise."

"Good," Alex sighed with relief, picking the chart back up.

"Sawyer," she offered, "Maggie Sawyer."

"Thank you," Alex replied genuinely.

"No problem…?" Maggie lingered.

Alex looked up at the hint of a question and pretended to be confused.

"What so only you get to ask the questions? I don't get to know your name?"

"That's generally how this works, yes and I think it would be if we remained on a last name basis," Alex said with a smirk.

"But you already know my name!" Maggie protested.

"Perks of the job I guess," Alex shrugs, shooting Maggie a smug little side smile.

Maggie's eyes narrow but her lip quirks in a smile. "Now whose not playing fair?"

Alex shook her head and laughed, it seemed everything was going to be a game with this woman.

…

The finally filled chart sat in the holder attached to the end of the bed. It had taken three times longer than it should have but Alex can't actually admit to being bothered by that fact. Every time she managed to actually get Maggie to take things seriously, Alex found herself unable to resist the opportunity of being able to tease or annoy her back. Maggie's eyes lit up whenever Alex would laugh or bite her lip when she was trying not to laugh. A few strands of hair had fallen from Alex's ponytail and Maggie's eyes couldn't help but follow them and she was surprised at how desperately she wanted to tuck them behind the sweet doctor's ears.

But with the chart completed, Alex was back to business and Maggie could feel the atmosphere change around them.

"I'm going to need you to take the windbreaker off," Alex ordered. Maggie had a dozen little quips ready to shoot back but decided against all of them and simply did as she was told. Maggie had revealed during her questioning that she was pretty sure she had been grazed by a bullet on her right arm so Alex had to get to cleaning it up.

Alex pulled up right beside Maggie, latex gloves in place, and immediately felt around the area. Alex knew it was only a superficial wound, it was clearly shallow and if it were any worse, Maggie's own behaviour would have reflected that fact but Alex could feel their time together drawing to a close and she didn't want to say goodbye to the detective just yet.

Alex applied some antiseptic to the wound and began to clear away the dried blood to find the exact perimeters of the graze.

"So what really happened out there?" Alex asked to distract Maggie from the stinging.

Maggie didn't so much as wince at the antiseptic and looked over at Alex to watch her at work. Maggie admired her unnecessary attentiveness and felt a warmth bloom inside at how delicately Alex touched her skin and held her arm in place.

"Eh…it was a drug bust that went south. I can't reveal any major details or I'd have to kill you," Maggie teased. Alex smirked but diligently kept working, expecting Maggie to continue. "Something was definitely leaked, they were waiting for us. The higher ups will see it as a failure because most of them we couldn't capture alive but for me, as long as more of their guys are in hospital than mine then that's a win."

Dr Robbins had come back while they had been filling in the chart and informed Maggie that there were no casualties on her squad and there were no injuries sustained that a few weeks off couldn't fix. Maggie had been so relieved, closing her eyes and going quiet for two full minutes. Alex had wanted to reach out and take her hand, to tell her it was ok but knew that she couldn't. Dr Robbins had stepped up and squeezed Maggie's good shoulder and Maggie had looked at her in a way that spoke of deep understanding and gratitude and then Alex too had been grateful that Dr Robbins had been present to provide Maggie with the comfort that she couldn't.

Alex finished cleaning the graze and applied a clean bandage, feeling Maggie's biceps flexing beneath her fingertips. Alex's eyebrows raised and she coughed to hide a small gasp that had managed to escape her. Unable to come up with an excuse to stay so close to her, Alex rolled back and stood up.

"We're all done here," Alex said trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. For once the constantly hyperactive Maggie wasn't so eager to get down off the gurney. She swung her legs around and let them dangle off the side as she put her windbreaker back on. She looked around aimlessly and for a second it seemed like she had something she wanted to say but bit it back as she stood up.

"I know it's nothing major but it's super late and a shock to the system like that can leave you pretty wired even though you're actually exhausted so Doctor's orders are bed rest ok?" Alex asked, somehow knowing Maggie would disobey her.

"Not a chance," Maggie said, perking up again.

"What? You could hardly have a hot date at 4:30 in the morning?" Alex teased.

"Not a _date_ per se but I do have a lady waiting. I'm just gonna go see the squad first and then I'll be heading out." Maggie nodded in the direction of the exit and Alex pulled the curtain back. She couldn't believe this gorgeous woman was just going to whirlwind in and out of her life in the same day.

Alex walked Maggie over to the doors to the waiting room. She folded her arms across her chest and shuffled from one foot to the other.

"So um, I hope everyone on your squad is ok and I guess I'll see you again," Alex's eyes widened when she realised what she had said. "I don't mean that like I want you to get hurt again, I just mean you were a fun patient and I-."

"Don't worry about it Danvers." Maggie jumped in, saving Alex from embarrassing herself further. "I'll be back, even if it is just to learn your name."

Alex let out a shaky breath at the radiant smile Maggie gave her before disappearing through the waiting room doors.


	2. Chapter 2

Alex tried to work out the tension in her shoulder while she waited for the lab technician to come back with the blood tests she had requested. She sighed and rolled her shoulders before leaning against the wall, her efforts having failed to work out any of the knots.

A stack of papers were slapped down on the counter to her right but she didn't even have the energy to do more than slowly glance at them before shoving herself up from the wall into an upright position.

"Rough day?" The lab tech, Dr Winn Schott asked with a grimace, tapping lightly on the files.

"Rough day, rough week, rough month…"

"Let me guess, rough year?" Winn supplied.

"I know you're messing but yes, actually, rough year," Alex confirmed, dropping her elbows to the counter and resting her chin on her hands. "I can't wait to finish my residency."

"Alex, I don't know what makes you think it's going to get any easier. The life of a surgeon is tedious and I don't think anyone ever implied that it wasn't."

"The money's better though," Alex pointed out.

"Yes," Winn conceded, "but you can make nearly just as much being a lab rat like myself, especially if you have a specialty. It also means you're not on your feet all day and work somewhat livable hours." Alex could only roll her eyes at the smug look on Winn's face.

"I dunno, I guess I just thought it would be different. I knew the hours would be killer but I thought that by now I would be doing work that actually saves lives."

"You did catch that brain tumour in that patient your first week here." Winn highlighted with a little fist bump.

"That was a lucky break and besides , the shiny 'caught a tumour' glow has long since worn off. I dunno, I just think it's more than the work," Alex admitted wistfully.

"Ok, so it's not all work then and I know it's not an issue with friends or family," Winn said as if it were obvious, gesturing at himself smartly. "So…maybe…it's your…love life?"

Winn leaned back out of Alex's reach and held his hands up to defend himself if necessary. He was surprised Alex hadn't immediately tried to grab him by the scrubs and hauled him over the counter to give him a good talking to. Alex did, however, glower at him relentlessly for even broaching the topic.

Winn watched as her usual menacing stare for mentioning her love life flickered briefly before disappearing entirely to allow for a confused, almost pained expression to etch its way into every line on her face.

"Al..Alex, it was just a suggestion."

Alex thought back over her pathetic dating history, if one could even call it that.

She had had a highschool boyfriend who she had promptly dumped upon being accepted into medical school. Then there had been that brief time with a guy in her anatomy class which she cut short due to not wanting any distractions from her studies but apart from that there had only been a smattering of one night stands, which mainly served as stress relief.

"Maybe…maybe you're right."

Winn was speechless, he had not expected the turn the conversation had just taken.

"What's brought this on, Alex? I mean, no offence, but everytime in the last three years anyone has tried to ask you about dating you have swiftly bitten their heads off, even Kara's and we all know that you never get mad at Kara."

"I don't know," Alex lied as an image of the tiny detective flitted across her mind's eye. "I guess I've just been thinking that I'm really making a life for myself and I'd like to share it with someone. Ugh…this is way too heavy for a Thursday afternoon, I'm sorry."

"No, don't apologise. This kind of thing is never too heavy, no matter what the time. But a couple of drinks might make it easier. So, how about tomorrow night we get the Supergang together and go for a few drinks?"

"You know I'm never going to get a Friday evening off." Alex dropped her forhead down onto the lab results and groaned. Winn patted the top of her heand and looked around awkwardly, smiling uncomfortably at people that walked by looking at Alex's limp body more or less thrown across the counter.

He stopped patting Alex's head when he saw strolling down the corridor.

"Oh, , wait!"

Arizona stopped a few feet away and looked at him oddly. Winn composed himself after his sudden outburst and raised a hand meekly in apology before waving her over enthusiastically.

Alex sprang to her feet when she head footsteps coming up behind her and urged Winn with her eyes to not do what he was about to do. Winn pointedly kept from looking at Alex as he eagerly leaned over the counter.

" , here was wondering if she could get tomorrow night off?"

Alex immediately started shaking her head and stammered out desperate, incomprehensible noises.

"Sure!" Arizona agreed chirpily, her eyes gleefully taking in the flustered resident. "You deserve the evening off, but only if you promise to do something fun, no bringing any work home, that's an order."

"Eh…thank you?" Alex said, surprised at the positive response. Arizona disappeared as quickly as she had arrived leaving Alex looking at Winn in amazement and a sinful smile spreading across his face.

"Looks like I'm getting the Supergang together!"

Alex rolled her eye and finally picked up the lab results she had come to him for to begin with.

"I'd better go, gotta work twice as hard now so I can keep my word to to not take any work home tomorrow night."

"That's the spirit!" Winn called after her, while immediately taking out his phone to start getting the word out.

….

Alex downed the last dregs of what must have been her fourth coffee and it was only 11am. True to her word, she had worked twice as hard the day before so she could be free that evening. She had been up until 3 in the morning going over cases which she considered to be a loophole to ' instructions seeing as how she had only said she couldn't bring home any work on Friday night but hadn't actually said anything about Thursday night.

She dropped the paper cup into the bin and turned back to her computer screen. It was a slow enough morning in the clinic, for which she was forever grateful.

"Let me guess, if you're anything like me, that's your third cup?" A familiar voice asked from the other side of the counter. Alex quickly looked up and could just about see the top of the tiny detective's head. She stood up and smiled brightly at the woman before her who had to reach up quite a distance to be able to lean her arms on the countertop.

Maggie's smile stretched wide at the apparently mute Doctor before her.

"Wow ok, you're not even capable of speech yet, maybe that was only your second cup?"

Alex shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ah no, it's my fourth actually," Alex corrected her, not that it helped explain her behaviour in any way.

"Yikes, this is you on 4 coffees? Caffeine is doing you no favours, Danvers."

Alex let go of her nose and shook her hand dismissively.

"It's not the coffee, it's y-y…, well eh it's nothing, I'm fine, just a long night."

"I can tell," Maggie said with a nod, stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets.

"What…uh…what are you doing here?" Alex asked, begging her brain to stop making a fool out of her.

Maggie shrugged and looked around.

"I was uh, just looking to get a check-up, you know, what with being shot and all last week."

"Oh my god, of course, I'm such an idiot," Alex exclaimed flustered, jogging around from the desk and leading Maggie over to a vacant bed.

Maggie hopped up on the side of the bed, her feet dangling some distance from the ground. Alex smiled to herself but thought it best not to point it out to the cop. Maggie waited until Alex sat down on a stool in front of her before shaking off her leather jacket. Alex couldn't pull her eyes away from the toned arms that were slowly revealed to her. She tried to make her stare look professional as Maggie put the jacket to her side and looked up at Alex expectantly.

Alex rolled forward slowly, looking at Maggie measuredly before grasping Maggie's hand, looking at her just as expectantly to get her to turn her injured arm towards her. Maggie looked down at the bandage on her upper arm and Alex's eyes followed. The bandage was fresh which Alex was glad to see but it was applied sloppily.

"Did you change this yourself?" Alex questioned.

"Yeah, it wasn't as easy as it looked," Maggie admitted with a nervous laugh.

"You're telling me there's no one that would have done this for you?" Alex teased, poking Maggie's hand playfully.

Maggie's face sobered, her lips forming a tight line, her dimples disappearing to tense dots. Alex immediately realised her mistake and stammered helplessly.

"I thought there was someone that would be there to do this for me, but she didn't take too well to my "reckless behaviour" last week and seems to think I have a "death wish" because I keep "endangering myself" or whatever," Maggie explained sarcastically, not quite selling the nonchalant attitude she was trying to convey.

"I didn't mean to pry," Alex said regretfully. "Honestly, I meant someone on the force that could have helped you out."

"Ok well, then, I really didn't need to share all that then, did I? That's embarrassing."

"No, it's not, really don't be embarrassed. If it makes you feel better, there's no one in my life that would have been there to do it for me either." Alex shared in the hopes of lightening the mood.

"Well Danvers, that's just a whole other level of sad, you work in a hospital, you have no excuse," Maggie teased, brightening again.

"Tell me about it," Alex joked and they laughed together easily, Maggie's hand still grasped in Alex's, for no medical reasoning at this point.

"What's going on over here?" A chipper voice interjected.

Alex released Maggie sharply and rolled slightly away from the woman's legs. She looked up and smiled bashfully at her bespectacled sister.

"Kara, what are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd swing by and bring my favourite sisters some lunch since I know they never feed themselves." Kara held out a brown paper bag for Alex to take.

She took it and placed it gently on the ground beside her.

"This is your sister? So what, do good looks just run in your family?" Maggie asked incredulously, looking away from Kara to focus on Alex.

Alex blushed and looked away modestly, avoiding Kara's eyes. Kara quirked a brow at Alex's elevated heart rate and looked curiously between her sister and the mystery woman sitting on the bed who was smiling widely at Alex.

"Well since my sister here doesn't seem like she's going to introduce us, I'll do the honours. Kara Danvers, I'm a journalist at CatCo Worldwide Media." Kara held out her hand to formally shake the patient's.

"I'm Detective Maggie Sawyer, National City Police Department."

"And how to you know my sister Alex?" Kara had dropped in enough times to know Alex's bedside manner with patients and this definitely wasn't what she was used to seeing.

"So your name is Alex?!" Maggie asked victoriously. "I didn't even have to ask, I knew your name would end up being supplied to me naturally."

"Yeah? And how did you know that?" Alex asked sarcastically.

"I dunno, fate, the sheer force of my will for it be provided to me?" Maggie joked, gesturing to the universe in mock thanks.

"You're such a bull-shitter," Alex deadpanned. Kara's eyes widened in confusion. This woman had only just learned Alex's name and yet here they were bantering like they'd known each other for years.

"But to answer your question Kara, _Alex_ here treated me for a GSW last week and, let me tell you, I'm not an easy patient but you have a badass sister over here, she put me right in my place that's for sure."

"Hmmm, I'd say she did," Kara assented looking once again at the bashful look on Alex's face. "Anyway, it was lovely to meet you, Maggie. Alex, I'm going to go say hi to Meredith."

Kara gave Alex one last questioning look before turing to walk away but Alex's eyes were already focused on Maggie once again.

Maggie waited until she thought Kara was out of earshot before speaking again.

"Looks like I'm already meeting the family, Danvers. Must be serious."

"What do you even mean by that?" Alex knew what she thought she wanted it to mean but that thought thoroughly scared the shit out of her.

Maggie pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Alex, clearly deliberating over something.

"It means, we should go for a coffee together sometime." Maggie followed Alex's eyes with her own, noticing they had widened considerably.

Alex immediately switched back into professional mode, rolling up her sleeves and delicately removing the slopping bandages from Maggie's arm.

"Eh…that might blur the lines a little. I prefer to keep things strictly professional with my patients," Alex stated like that was all there was to be said about the issue.

Maggie hummed knowingly but didn't want to push the subject now that Alex had started inspecting and cleaning her wound. Alex worked quietly and diligently, avoiding and eye contact the entire time. Maggie let out a deep breath as Alex finished expertly applying a fresh bandage.

"You're healing up nicely, you shouldn't worry too much about scarring or anything," Alex informed her.

"Dang, chicks dig scars," Maggie joked, trying to get Alex laughing but received only a stoic expression. "Look, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, but I do think we should grab a coffee."

"You didn't make me uncomfortable," Alex replied stubbornly. "I really just do think It would be unprofessional."

Maggie rolled her eyes at Alex's feeble justification but began to wonder if she really had read the whole situation wrong.

"Fair enough," Maggie conceded. She gathered up her jacket and gave Alex a kurt nod. "See you around, Danvers."

Alex watched Maggie leave and wondered if it would ever get any easier to see her go.

….

Kara waited until Maggie was a few feet away from the exit before approaching her.

"Maggie, wait up!"

Maggie turned and looked at Kara curiously.

"What's up, other Danvers?"

"You should come out with us tonight!" Kara suggested, bouncing forward on her toes excitedly.

"Us? As in you and Alex?"

"Yes! Oh and a few other friends. We're going to be at Joe's from around 8pm. It's just some drinks, maybe some pool, it'll be fun."

"I don't think so. Alex made it pretty clear she didn't want to hang out with me ." Maggie admitted sourly.

"Look, Alex scares easy, she'll be more relaxed in a group setting, please come, I know she'll be happy to see you."

"How could you possibly know that? Alex and I only met last week and you and I only met 10 minutes ago!"

"I know my sister, just trust me," Kara said confidently, placing a strong hand on Maggie's shoulder and squeezing encouragingly. "Anyway, I've to get back to work, Joe's, 8pm, be there."

Maggie closed her eyes and shook her head at the determined confidence of the woman and laughed to herself. When she opened her eyes again Kara was gone and she whirled around trying to spot which way she had gone.

Maggie shrugged when she couldn't spot her and pulled out her phone as she walked to her bike to look up the location of this "Joe's" place.


	3. Chapter 3

Meredith tried to ignore her phone as it lit up on the passenger seat beside her. It had been buzzing non-stop since she had left the hospital. She rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time when it vibrated as she turned sharply onto her driveway and pulled on the handbrake, jerking the car to a stop.

She scrolled through the dozens of messages from Kara.

 _-Don't forget to tell Alex to wear something nice!_

 _-Oh but don't be obvious about it or she'll think something's up…_

 _-Are you home yet?_

 _-Have you seen her?_

 _-Send me a picture!_

 _-Is she on her way?_

 _-Mer, it's 8:15, Alex isn't here yet, where are you?_

Meredith knew better than to reply to any of them until she knew what the story was with Alex. As she walked to the front door she could see that the lights were still on in the kitchen, not that that was saying much since Alex had a bad habit of leaving every light on in the house, lighting the place up like the 4th of July.

She threw her keys down on the hall table and marched into the kitchen, sighing heavily when she saw Alex sitting at the island perusing what she assumed to be a patient's case file.

"Alex?! What are you still doing here?"

Alex's head snapped up and she swivelled around on the stool to look at Meredith guiltily.

"Don't you look at me with those puppy dog eyes, you know Kara has dibs on those, I can't deal with two sisters being able to manipulate me like that." Meredith moved to stand across the island from her.

"I'm just going over some lab reports," Alex explained innocently.

"Well I have to reply to Kara and I'm telling her we're on our way so you may want to get moving before she flies over here and decides to carry you there against your will," Meredith threatened, picking up her phone to tap out the message.

"No, hang on," Alex begged, lurching across the island to grab Meredith's phone. "Fine, yes, I was stalling. But only because I wanted to talk to you."

Meredith looked at her confused. "We work in the same hospital and live in the same house, you couldn't have found a time other than now to talk to me?"

"We can't exactly talk properly at the hospital and let's face it, all we use this house for is to drink and sleep."

Meredith shrugged her shoulders in agreement.

"Just tell me what's going on."

"I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am for everything you've done for me over the past couple of months. Letting me move in here, getting me into the residency program in NCGH, picking up the pieces after…after…" Alex struggled to find the right words, or any words.

"Alex, you don't have to thank me for any of that, it's what sisters do." Meredith busied herself getting a glass of wine, turning away from Alex, discretely wiping away a stray tear.

"Meredith, don't downplay it," Alex pleaded, voice cracking. "You basically kept me from letting my life fall apart completely. You cared about my life when I didn't so that there would still be something to build upon when I came back around and I just wanted you to know that I think that's finally happening. I'm starting to feel like myself again."

"I always knew that you would," Meredith assured her, leaning against the counter. "Now let's go drink to that." She winked over the rim of her wine glass to let Alex know that she appreciated the sentiment and that she didn't need to say anymore.

Alex finally cracked a smile and laughed out a long sigh.

"Just one more thing," Alex started as she organised the files back into a neat stack. "The reason I brought all this up is because I think it's time I found my own place." Alex tilted her head to the side and grimaced, unsure how Meredith would take the news.

Meredith pursed her lips but nodded.

"If you think you're ready," she said before grinning knowingly. "Have fun with Kara dragging you to a million different apartments."

Alex dropped her head in her hands. "Ugh, I forgot how much she loves apartment hunting. You think maybe I could get away with not telling her?"

"Doubt it, she probably heard you mention it all the way from the bar," Meredith teased.

"That super-hearing of hers sure doesn't get old," Alex said dryly as she got up from her stool and shrugged her jacket on. "It's drinking time."

"Let's go."

…

"So do you think she'll show?" Meredith asked, leaning against the bar, watching as Alex destroyed Winn at pool for the third time.

"Oh, she's gonna show," Kara said as if it were obvious.

"What makes you so confident? And what makes you think Alex is even attracted to this woman? She's never shown any interest in dating a woman before." Meredith had so many questions she couldn't even order them in her mind.

" _You_ didn't see them together," Kara insisted. "I've never seen Alex look at anyone like that."

"You mean since Mark?" Meredith assumed.

"No, I mean ever." Kara looked at Meredith seriously. "I mean, I do think Alex loved him but I think it's because she wasn't acknowledging all her options. She thought Mark was the closest thing to the perfect fit so she stopped looking. Stopped seeing. Does that make sense? I don't know if I'm making any sense," Kara rambled.

Meredith shook her head in disbelief.

"I'd love to hear what Alex would have to say if she found out that's what you thought."

"I think she'll be too distracted to share what she thinks to be honest." Kara nodded over at the doorway. Meredith followed her eyes and saw a small, Latina woman standing in the entrance looking around.

"That's her?" Kara nodded in response.

"You don't recognise her," Kara asked.

"Do you know how many people I treat? I hardly remember every face that walks through the hospital's doors."

"Fair point," Kara conceded.

"She looks confident," Meredith noted.

"Hmm, she's got game alright," Kara agreed. "But her heart is racing. She's nervous."

"No fair, you're like a walking stethoscope," Meredith grumbled.

"Don't be jealous," Kara scolded her playfully. "Oh look, she's spotted her."

Meredith stopped her pouting and turned her attention back to Alex and Maggie.

Alex stood up straight from the pool table to reconsider her shot. She could sink her last red ball and move onto the black _or_ she could be cruel and drag out Winn's humiliation a little longer. She looked at Winn who was analysing the table despairingly. Alex knew he knew he was never gonna make a comeback which ultimately made the decision for her. She leaned back down and swiftly sank her last red before moving around the table, letting the white ball come to a stop and striking the black into the corner pocket. It's no fun to toy with your prey when there's no fight left in them.

"Oh thank god," Winn muttered under his breath, dropping the cue onto the table and retreating to the bar.

"Damn, Danvers, nice shot." Maggie swaggered up alongside the table.

Alex was momentarily caught off guard. Part of her wanted to interrogate Maggie and tell her to back off, she didn't like it when people ignored what she wanted but she knew it would only please Maggie to get a rise out of her. This meant she had to play it cool so she matched Maggie's air of confidence, cockiness even, and shrugged her shoulders coolly.

"I think you mean 'shots' plural, Sawyer," Alex bragged.

"I mean it's a little early in the night for shots but I'm game if you are," Maggie said with a smirk, deliberately misinterpreting Alex.

"No, I meant…"

"I know what you meant," Maggie teased as she backed towards the bar, tempting Alex to join her.

Alex looked passed Maggie to the bar and saw Kara and Meredith looking at her curiously as they chatted. The bar probably wasn't the best place to talk to Maggie.

"Get the shots, Sawyer. I'll get a booth."

She picked the first empty one she came across and sat down. There was no point in trying to find one a bit more private since nowhere in the bar was really private with Kara around. Alex wondered why she even wanted privacy with Maggie.

"Just met Meredith," Maggie informed her as she placed the shots on the table before sitting down. Alex just nodded while looking down at the shots, twiddling her thumbs.

Maggie appraised Alex who sat stoically before her. Her choppy hair framed her face beautifully. Maggie had found herself wondering how it would look free from a ponytail and found that she wasn't disappointed. She noticed that Alex's out of work clothes were not unlike her own. This made Maggie smirk, thinking how great it was when your wardrobe doubled when you were dating someone with a similar style.

These thoughts startled her and she hastily lifted her first shot, gesturing for Alex to do the same. Alex raised her shot reluctantly and finally met Maggie's gaze.

"Cheers." Maggie maintained eye contact for a few seconds before knocking it back. She gasped slightly at the aftertaste and tried to smile through the burn. Maggie was impressed to see that Alex barely even winced.

Alex didn't like pretending that she wasn't interested in Maggie's company. In truth it was killing her to not ask her every question about herself she could possibly think up. She knew if she opened her mouth she would only end up getting flustered and embarrassing herself but the longer Maggie looked at her so expectantly the more she could feel her resolve crumbling.

"Is my company that bad, Danvers? You actually look like you're in physical pain," Maggie pointed out, truly beginning to worry that she had read the signals all wrong.

"No, you're great company," Alex admitted earning a smile from Maggie. "I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"Anything you wanna talk about?" Maggie offered sincerely. "I can be a great listener."

"You _can_ be? Isn't being a good listener a permanent trait?" Alex asked, gesturing into the air vaguely at the abstract concept. Maggie couldn't help but smile warmly at Alex's silly hand movements when she asked questions.

"No, because I wouldn't always call myself a good listener because I only listen to the people I want to listen to and I _want_ to listen to you," Maggie explained seriously, cutting out her usual smirk so that Alex would know she was being genuine.

Alex stared fixedly at Maggie who smiled at her knowingly. Alex hoped the blush she was most definitely sporting could be passed off as being a bodily reaction to the shot. To support her theory she quickly downed the second of the three.

"It's a conversation for another time," Alex replied eventually.

"Fair enough," Maggie said before following suit and having her second shot. Alex felt guilty for rejecting Maggie's olive branch and could tell her mood was shifting, her confidence ebbing away.

"It's just not the kind of conversation you have with someone you barely know," Alex explained. "Maybe when we get to know each other a little better, you know, if the offer still stands?"

Alex didn't realised that she had leaned across the table closer to Maggie in her eagerness to let Maggie know that she wasn't shutting her down. She became all too aware of their proximity when Maggie smiled and leaned forward to answer her.

"The offer doesn't have an expiration date, Danvers."

"G-good," Alex stammered, drowning in Maggie's soulful eyes.

Maggie dared to be bold and went to put her hand over Alex's on the table between them. Alex panicked when she realised what Maggie intended to do so she snapped her hands back and took her last shot.

When she opened her eyes after the shot she saw Maggie awkwardly play it off like she was fixing her hair. Alex kicked herself internally, she was completely pushing Maggie away. She watched as Maggie avoided looking at her and decided to follow Alex's lead again and take her last shot. Once finished she busied herself moving the empty shot glasses to the side of the table out of their way. She then clasped her hands together firmly on the table in front of her to keep them from making any more dangerous moves.

Alex was still frozen after her shot at how stupidly she was behaving. She could see how unsure Maggie had suddenly become and it ate away at her that she was the cause. She let out a shaky breath before reaching out an unsteady hand and placing it on top of Maggie's.

Maggie's eyes flitted up to meet her own, a question shining brightly in them, testing how certain Alex was. Alex focused on Maggie's clasped hands beneath her own palm. Their heat was so comforting and she absentmindedly stroked her thumb along one of Maggie's.

Maggie sighed, the tension leaving her shoulders and she unclasped her hands, taking Alex's into both of her own. Alex closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of Maggie's skin against her own, her fingertips ghosting along her hand, seemingly learning the terrain, mapping it all out. They laughed together at the silence that had fallen between them but neither let go. Alex didn't know what was supposed to be said now but Maggie seemed content to not say anything at all and just kept holding her hands, which just seemed to make Alex blush endlessly.

"I CALLED IT!" They heard Kara yell from by the bar.

Alex looked at the bar and saw Kara, Meredith, Winn and James all pretending like they hadn't just been watching them.

"Your friends are kinda nosy," Maggie stage whispered at Alex.

Alex looked back at Maggie who seemed a little reserved now that she realised they had an audience.

"I'm going to kill them," Alex vowed venomously.

"Alright, just don't leave any witnesses so I don't have to arrest you for homicide."

Alex relaxed in seeing that Maggie wasn't freaking out.

"Still though, we should try this other bar I know next time so that we can have a bit more…privacy," Maggie suggested.

"That sounds great," Alex admitted, playing with Maggie's fingers.

"Wow, I didn't even need to use the promise of peach mojitos to convince you," Maggie teased.

"You don't need to bribe me with sugary cocktails," Alex informed her coyly.

"I wasn't bribing but noted."

"While I would love to continue this all night, I have some friends that need murdering," Alex said with a pout.

"And I can't be a party to that so I guess that's my cue to leave." Maggie retrieved her phone from her pocket and placed it in front of Alex. "I think it's safe to assume I can have your number, right?" Maggie asked, about only 10% afraid Alex would shut her down.

"Of course," Alex said with a slight tilt of her head, swooning inside at the fact that this gorgeous woman had just asked for her number. Alex gave Maggie back her phone once she had saved her number in.

"I'll call you now so you can save my number," Maggie told her pressing the call button.

"Oh, there's no need," Alex replied automatically, without thinking.

"What do you mean?" Maggie asked confused.

Alex stiffly toyed with her hair as she desperately tried to come up with an explanation that didn't make her look insane. Drawing a blank she shut her eyes and settled for the truth.

"I kind of have your number already because I got it from your charts when I treated you," Alex admitted, wincing as she did so. "I know that makes me sound like a stalker and I don't know what made me do it and I'm sorry."

Maggie laughed at how adorable Alex was being.

"Hey, relax," Maggie cooed. "If anyone's stalkerish her it's me! How did you think I knew to come here? Kara told me when and where to be and I knew you didn't know about it."

Alex laughed in disbelief. "Ok, we're even, but I really do have to go kill Kara now."

"Go easy on her, it worked out for the best didn't it?" Maggie asked as they stood up from the booth in unison and seamlessly edged their way closer to one another.

"Yeah, it did," she sighed out shakily.

Maggie's eyes dropped to Alex's lips but neither one leaned in to close the gap between them.

Instead Maggie moved to speak directly into Alex's ear.

"I don't exactly want an audience for what I want to do right now so I guess we'll leave it until next time?"

Alex shivered at Maggie's hot breath on her ear and simply nodded her agreement.

"Talk soon, Danvers." Maggie squeezed her hand one last time before walking quickly out of the bar, raising a hand in farewell at Kara and the crew at the bar on her way out.

Alex took a hot second to shake herself out of the Maggie haze she had succumbed to before looking sternly at the Supergang.

"Right," she stated firmly, "which one of you am I going to kill first?"

…


End file.
